Breitling Jet Team History
The history of Brietling Jet Team leads back to 1982, when the team leader Jacques Bothelin found its first aerobatic team in France - Team Apache.
Jacques Bothelin definitely can be named the "father" of Brietling Jet Team. He gained his pilot's licence at the age of 16 and by the late 1970's was an Aerospatiale demonstration pilot as well as a regular participant in aerobatic competitions. By 1982 he and two friends had formed Team Apache (Apache being the name of his dog) flying CAP-10. They gained sponsorship from Martini and transited to SIAI Marchetti SF-260 and in 1987 to the PC-7. Both aircraft types were painted in overall white color with Martini logos on the each side and wings.
In 1990 the France banning the advertising of alcohol, meaning Martini had to stop sponsoring Patrouille Martini.
Later the employment agency ECCO brought funding for sponsoring Jacques Bothelin and he established new team, which received in 1991 official name Patrouille ECCO. The team flies with four green and white painted PC-7 aircrafts.
In 1997 ECCO merged with a Swiss firm Adia, forming Adecco. The new company continues sponsoring the team, but this tome with new name Patrouille Adecco and with new color scheme - red and white. In June one of the planes is lost in an incident in France without causing life of the pilot. At the next year the Adecco spots the sponsorship and the team was reduced to two planes.
In 1999 Jacques Bothelin established the new two-ship team - Apache Aviation Team sponsored by his own company Apache Aviation.
In 2001 the Apache Aviation receives a sponsorship from Algerian group of companies Khalifa (includes the El Khalifa Bank - the first privately-owned bank in Algeria, Khalifa Airways, Khalifa Rent-A-Car and Antinea Airlines). All PC-7 were sold and replaced by two L-39. The aircrafts are painted in blue and yellow. The new Khalifa Jet Team is assembled in March 2002, while the first demonstration is on May. At the end of summer the team receives two more L-39s.
In 2003 Khalifa pulled out of the sponsorship and again Jacques Bothelin needs to seek for a sponsor.
In 2004 the new team sponsor became the famous Switzerland Company Breitling. They start to fly with four L-39s painted in blue and yellow with Breitling signatures. Later the planes increase to four, six and today this unique team flies with seven jet aircrafts. Today this is the only one civilian aerobatic team flying with seven jet aircrafts. All seven planes are equipped with white smoke generators.
